Pastoral LetterD E A C O N J I M M E R L E

Sunday, May 3, 2020

In the last two months I have been reaching out by telephoneto both deacons in the Diocese of Orange and to parishionersof St. Joseph.  In the first instance it was to solicit assistance ona telephone line to coordinate food pickups and drop-offs forthose in need who are unable to go grocery shopping or aretoo poor to afford food.  A majority of those contactedvolunteered and the diocese seems to have enough to handlethe need as provided by Catholic Charities and a few foodpantries that are still open.

The calls to parishioners are to reach out to our St. Joseph faithcommunity to see how everyone is coping with being self-quarantined and doing both social and physical distancingduring this Covid-19 virus pandemic.  I am both amazed andgratified after hearing their responses to questions like: Howare you doing?  Is there something we can do to help?  Is thereanything you need at this time?  Are you taking advantage of thelive stream the parish is offering in daily and Sunday Masses,Adoration and Benediction, Taize Prayer, Stations of the Crossand the most recent Theology on Tap?

INCLUSION WITH OUR GOOD SHEPHERD

In everyone I have reached, though they are concerned abouthealth, jobs, money to pay bills and unknown fears about whatthe future holds, they are doing things that indicate God is verymuch in their lives.  The mainstay I found repeated is they arebeing there for one another.  They are not just only filling time,but they are making sure that everyone is included.  It’s thatinclusion of which today’s readings and Gospel bring to theforefront.In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter calls for all who believe in Jesus the Christ who died for our sins sothat we may have everlasting life to convert our minds, hearts,behavior and relationships to be saved by God’s actions of loveand mercy.  When we reach out to others, we are reaching out toGod because He created us to be one with Him and all He hascreated.

The message is much the same in our second reading from thefirst letter of St. Peter when he writes that we must be patientwhen we suffer just as Christ suffered for us, because thepurpose behind the suffering is for a good reason; healing of oursouls to be saved.  You might ask how does this equate with theCovid-19 virus taking away all that we have known to live a goodlife with God as our Savior?  Just as Christ lost everything in Hisdeath as a human, He gained for us eternal life because we asChristian Catholics believe that it is the life after for which we arecreated that we need to follow Jesus in all that He has shown usby words and deeds.

In St. John’s Gospel today, we realize the full meaning ofinclusiveness as our Good Shepherd Jesus says: “I am the gate(Savior).  Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will comein and go out and find pasture (heaven).”  In other words, Jesus isour life, truth and path to eternal life.    We are meant to bebonded together in faith, hope and love. What we need to remember and hold on to is that life will bringmany tragedies that will directly affect us in so many differentways.    The Covid-19 has for some included not only illness, buteven death to loved ones.  It has put us in terrible financial stressand has changed the way we live as people used to having untoldfreedoms.   But as we have either seen, heard or read about, noone in our world has THE answer as to what needs to be done forus as individuals to find the “best” place for us in this time ofdistress.  That’s why as believers, we need to find both our hope andanswers to how to cope and live with a new reality in Jesus, theChrist, our Savior.   He is here with us during the time we live onearth and forever in heaven.

Continue to be inclusive with those you love and know, bepatient during this time of suffering and follow in the footstepsof Jesus, our Good Shepherd, who is our protector in both thegood and bad times of our lives.  It is the path on our faithjourney that will bring us what peace we need to get usthrough this.  Please know that the priests, deacons and staff of St. Josephhave you in our daily thoughts and prayers and are here foryou.   God Bless. Deacon Jim Merle